Spreading apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to spreading implements of the kind comprising a frame movable over the ground, a container for material to be spread, at least one outlet port through which material from the container can reach the spreading member. One or more flow control members are positioned below the container to be movable in register with the outlet and an adjusting or setting mechanism is operatively connected to the flow control members.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Cornelis Van Der Lely 7, Bruschenrain, Zug, Switzerland; Ary Van Der Lely, l0, Weverskade,

Maasland, Netherlands [2]] Appl. No. 785,621 [22] Filed Dec. 20, 1968 [4S] Patented June 22, 1971 [32] Priority Dec. 27, 1967 1 Netherlands l 1 6717660 [54] SPREADING APPARATUS 10 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 239/665 A0lc 17/00 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,519,243 239/665 X 8/1950 Gjertson 2,723.8 60 11/1955 Weeks. 239/665 3,425,636 2/1969 Dreyer et al. 239/665 FOREIGN PATENTS 581,741 9/1958 ltaly .5 239/665 1,080,292 8/1967 Great Britain 239/665 Primary ExaminerLloyd L. King A110rneyMason, Mason & Albn'ght ABSTRACT: This invention relates to spreading implements of the kind comprising a frame movable over the ground, a container for material to be spread, at least one outlet port through which material from the container can reach the spreading member. One or more flow control members are positioned below the container to be movable in register with the outlet and an adjusting or setting mechanism is operatively connected to the flow control members.

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SPREADING APPARATUS Known implements of this kind usually have a separate control for each flow control member .so that at least two adjustments are required when a change in the rate of flow is to be made. An object of the present invention is to make the setting of the flow control members easier as compared with such known arrangements.

According to the invention, there is provided a spreading implement of the kind set forth wherein the adjusting or setting mechanism has only a single control, said control being connected with the two flow control members in such a way that they both move in the same direction in response to a movement of said control.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a spreading implement in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation, to an enlarged scale, of lower parts of theimplement of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a plan view approximately corresponding to FIG. 2 but showing additional parts of the implement,

FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrams showing the sectors in which the implement distributes material with different settings of adjustment,

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view showing an alternative construction of adjustment and control members of the implement,

FIGS. 7 and 8 correspond to FIG. 6 but show the parts illustrated in the former figure in different relative positions,

FIG. 9 corresponds to FIG. 6 but shows a further alternative construction, and

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 illustrate the parts shown in FIG. 9 in different relative positions.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the spreading implement which is illustrated have a frame 1 which includes a generally vertical portion 2 and a generally horizontal portion 3. An aperture 4 is formed towards the top of the vertical portion 2 of the frame 1 and said aperture can be employed in cooperation with a pivot pin to connect the frame to the upper adjustable lifting link of the three-point lifting device or hitch of an agricultural tractor or other vehicle. Horizontally aligned pins 5 are provided at the foot of the vertical portion 2 of the frame and these pins 5 are intended for cooperation with the free ends of the lower lifting links of a three-point lifting device or hitch such as that which has just been mentioned. A bar 6 of L-shaped cross section and having webs interconnecting the two limbs of the L is provided to strengthen the perpendicular connection between the two portions 2 and 3 of the frame I. A profiled frame plate 7 is secured to the vertical portion 2 of the frame l and is shaped to define upper and lower horizontal portions 8 and 9 that extend in parallel and vertically spaced apart relationship. The edge of the lower horizontal portion 9 that is remote from the vertical portion 2 of the frame is bent over downwardly to form a vertical portion 10. A strengthening strip 11 interconnects the top of the vertical frame portion 2 and the edge region of the upper horizontal plate portion 8 that is remote from same frame portion 2.

A gear box 12 is bolted to the vertical portion of the frame plate 7 and is provided with a rotary splined or otherwise keyed input shaft 13 which projects from said gear box 12 in a forward direction with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement, this direction being from left to right as seen in FIG. 1 of the drawings. A substantially vertical rotary output shaft 14 projects upwardly from the top of the gear box 12 and a spreading member which is generally indicated by the reference 15 is fastened to said shaft 14. The spreading member 15 has a hub 16 which is rigidly secured to the shaft 14 with the aid of a transverse bolt 35. The hub 16 is at the top of a shallow frustoconical plate 17 whose lowermost edge merges into the inner edge of a horizontal plate 18 whose outermost edge, as can be seen best in FIG. 3 of the drawings, is generally square in shape.

Four spreading blades 19 are mounted on the upper surface of the plate 18, each blade 19 having a horizontal portion 20 which is spaced above the plate 18 by a vertical portion 21 that is perpendicular to both the plate 18 and the horizontal blade portion portion 20. Each blade 19 also has a lower horizontal portion 22 which is welded or otherwise secured to the uppermost surface of the plate 18 in such a way that the corresponding blade 19 has its outermost end 23 located at one of the four corners of the plate 18. It can be seen from FIG. 3 of the drawings that the outermost end 23 of each blade 19 is tangential to a corresponding radial line 33 which passes through the axis of rotation of the shaft 14 and the comer of the plate 18 in question. The inner, or root, end 24 of each blade 19, on the other hand, intersects a radial line 34 which is inclined at an angle 25 having a magnitude of about 20 to the radial line '33 associated with the same blade 19. Each blade 19 is gently cured in such a way that its radius of curvature 26 has a length which is substantially twice the perpendicular distance 32 between the outermost end 23 of that blade and the axis of rotation of the shaft 14.

The frame 1 supports a container in the form of a hopper 27 for the material which is to be spread by the implement, the front of said hopper 27 with respect to the intended direction of operative travel of the implement being provided with an upwardly extending beam 28 whose front side is rigidly secured to the upper end 29 of the aforementioned strip 11. A horizontal plate 30 is fastened to the hopper 27 adjacent the foot thereof and said plate 30 is releasably secured to the upper horizontal portion 8 of the profiled frame plate 7 by vertical bolts 31. The hopper 27 is of inverted frustoconical configuration and has a fixed bottom 36 (FIG. 2) formed with a central opening 37. As can be seen in the drawings, the central opening 37 has an upright rim 38, the shaft 14 extending through the opening 37 with appreciable radial clearance. The upper end ofthe shaft 14 is bent over end inside the hopper 27, with an agitator 39 intended to prevent, or at least minimize, caking, bridging and the like of material contained within the hopper 27. The center of any agitator 39 is provided with a cap 40 which fits over the top of the shaft 14 and which is secured to that shaft by a transverse bolt or pin. The cap 40 is provided, beneath the agitator 39, with a rim which surrounds the upright rim 38 in shielding relationship so as to bring leakage of material from the hopper 27 through the central opening 37 in the bottom 36 to a minimum.

A supporting ring 41 is fastened to the lowermost surface of the bottom 36 of the hopper 27 by bolts 79. The ring 41 is provided around its lowermost edge with a projecting flange 42 and a groove is thus formed between said flange 42 and the overlying bottom 36 of the bottom 27. The groove which has just been mentioned accommodates two flow control members in the form of upper and lower flat discs 43 and 44. The arrangement is such that both discs 43 and 44 are supported from beneath by the flange 42 and are rotatable about the axis of the shaft 14 in the aforementioned groove, the center of said ring 41 being coincident with the axis of the shaft 14. The discs 43 and 44 are connected with adjusting or setting mechanism which is generally indicated by the reference 45, the disc 43 being provided, to this end, with a projection 46 while the disc 44 is provided with a similar projection 48. As can be seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the projection 46 is formed with a row of holes 47 while the projection 48 is formed with a row of holes 49. The downwardly bent over end of a rod 50 can be entered pivotally in any chosen one of the holes 47 and, similarly, the downwardly bent over end of a rod 51 can be entered pivotally in any chosen one of the holes 49. The opposite ends of the two rod 50 and 51 are entered in corresponding holes 52A in a setting arm 52.

The setting arm 52 is fastened to the lowermost end of a vertical shaft 53 which is tumably journaled in a bracket 54 projecting from the generally vertical frame portion 2 and in a bracket 55 projecting from the wall of the hopper 7. The rod 50 is connected to the arm 52 at a distance 72 from the shaft 53 which is half the distance 73 between the point of connection of the rod 51 to the arm and the shaft 53. The bracket 55 carries a sector plate 56 marked with a scale 57 reading from to IO." The plate 56 is formed with a hole 58 through which the shaft 53 is entered while the end of the bracket 55 remote from the hopper 27 is connected to the sector plate 56 with the aid of a bolt 59 which is entered through a short slot 63 in said bracket 55. The shaft 53 has one end ofa single control arm 60 secured to it beneath the bracket 55, said control arm being entered through an elongated slot 61 in the sector plate 56 alongside the scale 57. A stop 62 is slidable along the length of the slot 61 and can be retained in a desired position along that slot merely by tightening a wingnut that forms part of the stop, The bottom 36 of the hopper 27 is formed, adjacent its periphery, with an outlet port 64 which subtends an angle 65 (FIG. 3) of about 160 at the axis of the shaft 14. The upper disc 43 is provided with three outlet ports 66,67 and 68 which are all at the same distance from the axis of the shaft 14 as the outlet port 64. The ports 66 and 67 are located in neighboring relationship at one side of the shaft 14 while the port 68, as can be seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings, is located approximately perpendicularly opposite them at the other side of the shaft 14. The lower disc 44 is also provided with three outlet ports 69, 70 and 71 that are of the same size, the same shape and the same relative positioning as the three ports 66 to 68 which havejust been mentioned. The uppermost edge of the hopper 27 is provided with an outwardly bent over rim 74 and a hopper extension 75 can be releasably connected to said rim 74 by hooks 76 when required. As can be seen in FIG. I of the drawings, the extension 75 tapers upwardly in a relatively opposite directions to the downward taper of the hopper 27 itself.

In the use of the spreading implement which has been described, the aperture 4 and pins are employed to place the frame 1 in connection with the three-point lifting device or hitch of an agricultural tractor or other vehicle in a generally known manner and the rotary input shaft 13 is placed in driven connectionjwith the power takeoff shaft of the same tractor or other vehicle with the aid of an intermediate transmission shaft (not shown) having universal joints at its opposite end. The implement is moved over the ground in the direction indicated by an arrow 78 in FIGS. 3, 4 and of the drawings while its spreading member is rotated by the shaft 14 in the direction indicated by an arrow 77 in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The material in the hopper 27, such as granular or powdered artificial fertilizer, lime, sand, seed or the like, passes to the spreading member 15 by way of the outlet port 64 and the more or less aligned outlet ports 66, 69 and 67, 70 when the discs 43 and 44 occupy the positions shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The rate of flow of material from the hopper 27 to the spreading member 15 can be controlled by turning the discs 43 and 44 relative to one another about the axis of the shaft 14 with the aid of the adjusting or setting mechanism 45. Moreover, the position at which distributed material will fall to the ground relative to the path of travel of the implement canalso be controlled by turning the discs 43 and 44, in common, about theaxis of the shaft 14. When an alteration in the rate of flow of the material is required, the control arm 60 is turned about the axis of the shaft 53 together with that shaft. Since the rod 51 is connected to the setting arm 52 at a point which is further from the shaft 53 than the point of connection of the rod 50, the lower disc 44 will be turned angularly about the shaft 14 to a greater extent than will the upper disc 43. With the particular arrangement of the parts which is shown in the drawings, the angular displacement of the disc 44 will be approximately double that of the disc 43. Thus, depending upon the direction of displacement of the control arm 60, the ports 66, 69 and 67, 70 will be brought either into closer register with one another or will be brought into relative positions in which their degree of register is diminished. The ratio between the relative speeds and magnitudes of displacement of the two discs 43 and 44 can be changed by engaging the bent over ends of the rods 50 and 51 in different ones of the holes 52A in the setting arm 52.

FIG. 3 of the drawings shows a relative position of the discs 43 and 44 in which the parts 66, 69 and 67, 70 overlap one another by approximately half theirareas so that the volume of material per unit time which can flow from the hopper 27 to the spreading member is approximately half the maximum rate of flow ofwhich the implement is capable. It will be noted that the control arm 60 is in register with the mark 5" on the scale 57, that is to say, the mark which is half way along said scale. The flow of material can be stopped by turning the control arm 60 until it is in approximate registration with the mark 0" on the scale 57. It will be seen from FIG. 3 of the drawings that minimization of the degree of register of the ports 66, 69 and 67, 70 is accompanied by movement of all of those ports around the shaft 14 in the direction 77. An increase in the degree of register of the ports which have just been mentioned is, conversely, accompanied by movement of all of said ports around the shaft 14 in a direction opposite to the direction 77. The corresponding decrease, or increase, in the rate of flow of the material generally compensates for the alteration of the position of the outlet ports to an extent such that the position at which the ejected material falls to the ground relative to the path of travel of the implement is not greatly altered, if at all. It is thus generally unnecessary to make a further compensating adjustment.

FIG. 4 of the drawings illustrates diagrammatically the region of distribution of the material when the various parts occupy the positions shown in FIG. 3. It will be seen that the material falls to the ground in approximately equal quantities on opposite sides ofa vertical plane of approximate symmetry of the implement that extends parallel to the direction 78. As previously mentioned, the region of distribution of the material can be changed by turning the discs 43 and 44, in common, about the axis of the shaft 14. If, for example, the ends of the two rods 50 and 51 were respectively engaged in the holes 47A and 49A shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, then the region of distribution of the material from the hopper 27 would be approximately as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings in which far the greater part of the material is deposited on the ground at the left-hand side of said plane of approximate symmetry with respect to the direction 78. All of the ports 66, 67, 68, 69, 70 and 71 will then have been turned angularly about the shaft 14 in the direction 77 as compared with the positions illustrated in FIG. 3. It is noted that the angular extent 65 of the outlet port 64 in the bottom 36 of the hopper 27 is sufficient to ensure that the ports 66, 69 and 67, 70 will always register therewith whichever of the holes 47 and 49 are engaged by the rod 50 and 51. It is sometimes desirable to be able to reduce the rate of flow of material, such as seeds and the like, by employing only one outlet opening instead of two. When this is required, the rod 50 and 51 are disengaged from the projection 46 and 48 and both discs 43 and 44 are turned through approximately around the shaft 14 to bring the outlet ports 68 and 71 into register with the outlet port 64 while the outlet ports 66, 67, 69 and 70 are brought into register with an unbroken portion of the bottom 36 thus rendering them ineffective. The rods 50 and 51 are turned about their connection with the setting arm 52 until the ends thereof that are remote from that arm are located at the opposite side of the hopper 27 from the positions shown in FIG. 3. They can then be reengaged with appropriate reengaged with 47 and 49.

The material which passes through the outlet ports falls onto the frustoconical plate 17 and moves downwardly to the inner or root ends 24 of the spreading blades 19. The construction of the spreading member 15, and particularly of its blades 19, is such that the material is spread uniformly over a wide area. The bolt 59 cooperates with the slot 63 in such a way that the position of the sector plate 56 around the axis of the shaft 53 can be adjusted as may be required. Upon loosening the bolt 59, the plate 56 can be turned through a small angle about the shaft 53, the magnitude of said angle being dictated by the length of the slot 63. When the correct position is reached, the bolt 59 is retightened. The stop 62 is employed to ensure that, after a spreading operation has been temporarily halted by moving the control arm 60 into register with the scale mark 0," it can be recommenced with exactly the same rate of flow of material merely by turning the arm 60 back along the slot 61 until it abuts against the stop 62. The stop 62 can also be used to positively retain the control arm 60 in register with the scale mark 0" during, for example, bumpy journeys between a farm and a field which might otherwise cause the outlet ports to be jerked accidentally into a partially open position.

The quantity of material which can be carried in the hopper 27 can be increased by using the hopper extension 75 but this is not, of course, essential. The upwardly tapering frustoconical hopper extension 75 may also serve, in addition to increasing the capacity of the hopper 27, to minimize the effect of strong winds upon any finely powdered materials which the hopper 27 may contain. It will be realized that such materials tend to be blown out of the hopper by strong winds when the hopper 27 is 'more or less completely filled.

FIG. 6 of the drawings shows an alternative form of flow control members and adjusting or setting mechanism which may be employed in a spreading implement of the same general kind as that which has been described. The hopper of the implement in question has bottom plate 80 which is similar to the bottom 36 of the hopper 27. A flow control member in the form ofa disc 81 is generally similar to one of the discs 43 or 44 is located immediately beneath the bottom plate 80 and is formed with an outlet port 83. The bottom plate 80 also has an outlet port 82 which tapers to a point at one of its ends but whose curved edges otherwise have the longitudinal axis of a rotary shaft 91 as their centers ofcurvature. It will be realized that rotary shaft 91 corresponds to the previously described output shaft 14 of the gear box 12. The disc 81 has a laterally projecting arm 84 whose free end is pivotally connected to one end of a rod 85. The opposite end of the rod 85 is pivotally connected to one end of setting arm 86 the opposite end of which, in turn, is secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft 87. The upper end of the vertical shaft is provided with a control arm 88 which is displaceable along a slot in a sector plate 89, the edge of said slot being marked with a scale 90. The slot is also provided with a stop 90A which is of similar construction to, and which serves the same purpose as, the previously described stop 62. It will be appreciated that the parts which have just been described are basically similar in construction and function to the adjusting or setting mechanism 45 of the first embodiment.

In the position of the various parts which are shown in FIG. 6 of the drawing, the outlet port 83 in the disc 81 is wholly in register with the untapered end of the outlet port 82. Material can thus leave the hopper at the maximum possible rate and it will be noted that, accordingly, the control arm 88 is at the corresponding end of the scale 90. The rate of flow of material can be reduced by turning the control arm 88 and the shaft 87 about the axis of that shaft to cause the disc 81 to turn about the shaft 91 in the direction indicated an arrow 92 in FIG. 6. Rotary movement of the disc 81 in the direction 92 progressively decrease the degree of register of the port 83 with the port 82, a setting for a reduced rate of flow being shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings which only the tapered portion 93 of the outlet port 82 registers with part of the outlet port 83. The rate of flow is, in fact, reduced approximately half as compared with the rate of flow corresponding to the setting illustrated in FIG. 6 It will be noted that the width of the tapered portion 93 of the outlet port 82 progressively decrease considered in a direction extending radially of the shaft 91 as progress is made around that shaft in the direction 92. FIG. 8 illustrates a position in which the outlet port 83 is completely out of register with the outlet port 82 so that the flow of material from the hopper to the spreading member is stopped. As in the previous embodiment, the angular position of the material outlet around the shaft 91 changes as the area of that outlet is decreased or increased. Once again, these two factors tend to compensate for one another so that the region of distribution of the material relative to the path oftravel of the implement remains substantially unchanged. Only one flow control member is required in the embodiment of FIG. 6 to 8 of the drawings by virtue of the provision of the outlet port 82 in the bottom which outlet port is of different shape to the outlet ports provided in the embodiment of FIGS..1 to 5 of the drawings. It will be noted that the shape of the tapered portion 93 of the outlet port 82 is such that, even with a very small rate of flow of the material, an opening having appreciable dimensions in all directions is preserved as compared with an elongated'slotlike opening which has appreciable length but very little breadth. It will be realized that materials such as granular fertilizers and seeds will not pass through narrow slotlike openings such as those which have just been mentioned. The tapering configuration of one end of the outlet port 82, combined with the increasing distance of the pivotal connections to the rod from the axes of the shafts 87 and 91 as the arm 88 is moved along the scale from the position shown in FIG. 6 causes the rate of reduction in the effective outlet area for the material to progressively accelerate. Conversely, the rate of increase in the cross-sectional area of the outlet progressively decelerates as the arm 88 is moved back towards the fully open "position shown in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 9 to 12 of the drawings show a further alternative construction for the flow control members and adjusting or settingmechanism. In this case, the hopper has a fixed bottom 94 that is similar to the previously described hopper bottom 36, said bottom 94 being formed with a single outlet port 95. Two flow control members in the form of discs 96 and 97 that are similar to the previously described discs 43 and 44 are located immediately beneath the bottom 94, the disc 96 being formed with an outlet port 98 and the disc 97 with an outlet port 110. In the positions of the various parts which are shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings, the outlet port 98 is in complete register with the outlet port in the hopper bottom 94. The disc 96 has a projecting arm 99 and this is coupled by a rod 100 to one end of a setting arm 101. The other end of the setting arm 101 is secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft 102. The disc 97 has a projecting arm 103 and this is linked by a connecting rod 104 to one end of a further setting arm 105 the other end of which is also secured to the lower end of the shaft 102. The upper end of the shaft 102 is provided with a control arm 106 that is movable along a slot in a sector plate 107, said slot being marked, along one of its edges, with a scale 108. The slot is also provided with a movable stop 109 which is again similar in construction and function to the previously described stop 62.

FIG. 9 of the drawings shows positions of the various parts in which the open outlet area, and thus the rate of flow, is a maximum. The outlet port 110 in the disc 97 is of somewhat similar configuration to the previously described outlet port 82 and the untapered end thereof is in alignment with the registering outlet ports 95 and 98. The rate of flow of material from the hopper to the spreading member can be reduced by turning the control arm 106 and the shaft 102 about the axis of that shaft in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 9 of the drawings. The outlet ports 98 and 110 are thus moved simultaneously around a rotary shaft 111 (corresponding to the previously described output shaft 14 of the gear box 12) in the direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. 9. With the particular arrangement of the parts which is illustrated, the outlet port 95 is first reduced in effective area by edge of the port 98 advancing in the direction 120 and is secondly reduced in a radial direction 121 by the curved edge 112 of the tapered end of the outlet port 110 in the disc 97. FIG. 10 shows a setting in which approximately half of the outlet port 95 has been closed while approximately half thereof (indicated by shading in FIG. 10) remains open. As compared with FIG. 9 of the drawings, the port 98 has been appreciably displaced in the direction 120 while the port 110 has been placed only a very short distance in that direction which is such that the untapered end thereof still -registers with the opening defined by the aligned regions of the outlet ports 95 and 98. The curved edge 112 of the outlet port 110 is thus still ineffective. Considered in the radial direction 121, the port 95 is still completely open throughout the distance 113 indicated in FIG. 10.

When a further reduction in the rate of flow of the material from the hopper to the spreading member is required, the control arm 106 is turned further in a clockwise direction about the axis of the shaft 102 as seen in FIG. 9 of the drawings. The lengths and relative positions of the setting arms I01 and 105 are such that this further displacement effects a decreased speed and distance of angular displacement of the disc 96 and an increased speed and distance of angular displacement of the disc 97. The relative positions indicated in FIG. 11 of the drawings are thus reached. The curved edge 112 of the port 110 then partly closes, in the radial direction 121, the open space which is otherwise left between a radial edge 115 of the port 98 and a radial edge 117 of the port 95. The outlet port 95 is completely closed, as shown in FIG. 12 of the drawings, by bringing the control arm 106 to the end of the slot in the sector plate 107 which is opposite to the end occupied by the stop 109 as shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings. It will be seen from FIGS. 11 and 12 of the drawings that the outlet port 95 is out of register with both the port 98 and the port 110 and that, as the discs 96 and 97 turn in the direction 120 from the position shown in FIG. 11 to the position shown in FIG. 12, the tip 116 (FIG. 11) of the tapered end of the outlet port 110 comes into register with one end of the overlying radial edges 115 and 117 to close the outlet port 95 entirely.

In the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12 of the drawings, the opening through which material from the hopper can pass is effectively displaced first in the direction 120 and is subsequently effectively displaced towards the shaft 111 in the direction 121, movement in the direction 120, or in the relatively opposite direction, being effected at a faster or slower rate during simultaneous displacement in the direction 121, or relatively opposite direction, than is the case when there is no displacement in the direction 121 or relatively opposite direction. It will be realized that, once again, the described arrangement ensures that the very small opening which is required for certain materials, such as seeds, has appreciable dimensions in every direction and is not of very narrow slotlike configuration. This would be the case if, for example, the radial edges 115 and 117 alone cooperated to produce an opening of small cross-sectional area. The effect of the displacement in the direction 121 is to feed material from the hopper to the spreading member at a position nearer to the axis of rotation of the latter (i.e. the longitudinal axis of the shaft 111) than when larger volumes of material per unit time are being supplied. This tends to ensure that small quantities of material per unit time are spread uniformly throughout substantially the same region of distribution as when great'er rates of flow are involved. The relative movements of the discs 96 and 97 that result from displacement of the control arm 106 can be changed by altering the angle between the setting arms 101 and 105 and/or by altering the positions of the two arms 99 and 103. The particular shapes chosen for the outlet ports 95, 98 and 110 also, it will be realized, play a large part in varying the area and shape of the outlet through which the material passes from the hopper to the spreading member.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two movable flow control members positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, each of said flow control members having port means, an adjusting mechanism connected to said two flow control members for moving same to place said outlet and said port means in more or less register, said adjusting mechanism having a control element for actuating said flow control members, said control element being connected to said two flow control members whereby both of said flow control members move simultaneously in response to a movement of said control element and whereby, when said control member is moved, one flow control member is displaced through a greater distance than the other one.

2. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two movable flow control members positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, each of said flow control members having port means, an adjusting mechanism connected to said flow control members for moving same relative to said outlet and to place said port means in more or less register, said adjusting mechanism having a single control element for actuating said flow control members whereby both of said flow control members move in response to a movement of said control element, said flow control members being connected to said adjusting mechanism with rod assembly means including an arm and separate rods connected to said arm, each of said rods being connected to its respective flow control member whereby the speed of movement and extent of movement of said flow control members differs from the speed and extent of movement of said single control.

3. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in the lower end of said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two turnable flow control discs each having port means being positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, said outlet being of a greater area than said port means, an adjusting mechanism connected to said flow control discs for moving same relative to said outlet and to place said port means in more or less register, said adjusting mechanism having a single control element for actuating said flow control discs, said discs having projections interconnected by connecting means with a pivotal setting arm means of said adjusting mechanism, said connecting means being connected to said setting arm means at different distances from the axis about which said setting arm means is pivotable.

4. An implement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said connecting means can be coupled to said projections at a plurality of different points.

5. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in the bottom of said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two movable flow control members having port means positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, an adjusting mechanism connected to said flow control members for moving same to place said outlet and said port means in more or less register, said adjusting mechanism having a single control element for actuating said flow control members whereby both of said flow control members move in response to a movement of said control element, said flow control members being connected with rod assembly means to said adjusting mechanism including two setting arms which are angularly spaced from one another about an axis around which said arms are pivotable, said rod assembly means including two rods each connecting a flow control member with its respective setting arm whereby when said single control element is moved, one flow control member is displaced through a greater distance than the other one.

6. An implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one flow control member includes a port and an auxiliary port, said auxiliary port being normally located in register with a closed portion of the bottom of said container.

7. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, a rotatable spreading member mounted adjacent the lower portion of said container and at least one outlet in said container through which material can reach said spreading member, two flow control members positioned adjacent said outlet, said flow control members each being provided with a port, said flow control members being connected to an adjusting mechanism having a single control element for actuating said flow control members whereby both of said flow control members move in response to a movement of said control element and, when said control element is moved, one flow control member is displaced through a greater distance than the other control member, said control members being movable by said adjusting mechanism to place said outlet and said ports in more or less register, the port of one flow control member being shaped to taper in width.

8, A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in the bottom of said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two movable flow control members with port means positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, an adjusting mechanism connected to said flow control members for moving same to place said outlet and said port means in more or less register, said adjusting mechanism having a single control element for actuating said flow control members wherein in response to a movement of said control element, said flow control members being displaceable so that one flow control member is displaced through a greater distance than the other one, said control members being connected to said adjusting mechanism with rod assembly means, said adjusting mechanism including a substantially vertical pivotal shaft and a setting arm means being secured to said shaft, said rod assembly means including separate rods each connecting a flow control member to said setting arm means, said shaft being turnably journaled in supporting brackets secured to said implement, said control element being connected to the upper end of said shaft and being movable relative to a reference member having a scale with an adjustably mounted stop, said flow control members being of angular configuration and the inner ends of said flow control members being located in a groove formed between the bottom of said container and a flange of a supporting ring, said ring being fixed to the bottom of the container.

9. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, a rotatable spreading member mounted adjacent the lower portion of said container and at least one outlet in said container through which material can reach said spreading member, two flow control members having port means positioned adjacent said outlet, said flow control members being movable relative to said outlet to close same to a desired extent and an adjusting mechanism operatively connected to said flow control members, said port means being located above a frustoconical portion of said spreading member, said spreading member being rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, said frustoconical portion adjoining a substantially planar plate-shaped portion of said spreading member that extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said spreading member, said planar portion being generally rectangular and provided with spreading blades that extend towards its four corners, the outermost ends of said spreading blades passing through lines that extend radially from the axis of rotation of said spreading member and the inner ends of said blades being located forwardly of said outermost ends relative to the direction of rotation of said spreading member.

10. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two movable flow control members having port means being positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, an ad'usting mechanism connected to said flow control members or moving same to place said outlet and said port means in more or less register, said adjusting mechanism having a control element for actuating said flow control members whereby said flow control members move in response to a movement of said control element and whereby one flow control member is displaced through a greater distance than the other, said spreading member being mounted on a substantially rotatable vertical shaft which extends upwardly through the bottom of said container, a cap on said shaft within said container, the bottom of said container having an upwardly extending rim extending around said 'shaft, said rim underlying the lower portion of said cap. 

1. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two movable flow control members positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, each of said flow control members having port means, an adjusting mechanism connected to said two flow control members for moving same to place said outlet and said port means in more or less register, said adjusting mechanism having a control element for actuating said flow control members, said control element being connected to said two flow control members whereby both of said flow control members move simultaneously in response to a movement of said control element and whereby, when said control member is moved, one flow control member is dispLaced through a greater distance than the other one.
 2. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two movable flow control members positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, each of said flow control members having port means, an adjusting mechanism connected to said flow control members for moving same relative to said outlet and to place said port means in more or less register, said adjusting mechanism having a single control element for actuating said flow control members whereby both of said flow control members move in response to a movement of said control element, said flow control members being connected to said adjusting mechanism with rod assembly means including an arm and separate rods connected to said arm, each of said rods being connected to its respective flow control member whereby the speed of movement and extent of movement of said flow control members differs from the speed and extent of movement of said single control.
 3. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in the lower end of said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two turnable flow control discs each having port means being positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, said outlet being of a greater area than said port means, an adjusting mechanism connected to said flow control discs for moving same relative to said outlet and to place said port means in more or less register, said adjusting mechanism having a single control element for actuating said flow control discs, said discs having projections interconnected by connecting means with a pivotal setting arm means of said adjusting mechanism, said connecting means being connected to said setting arm means at different distances from the axis about which said setting arm means is pivotable.
 4. An implement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said connecting means can be coupled to said projections at a plurality of different points.
 5. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in the bottom of said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two movable flow control members having port means positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, an adjusting mechanism connected to said flow control members for moving same to place said outlet and said port means in more or less register, said adjusting mechanism having a single control element for actuating said flow control members whereby both of said flow control members move in response to a movement of said control element, said flow control members being connected with rod assembly means to said adjusting mechanism including two setting arms which are angularly spaced from one another about an axis around which said arms are pivotable, said rod assembly means including two rods each connecting a flow control member with its respective setting arm whereby when said single control element is moved, one flow control member is displaced through a greater distance than the other one.
 6. An implement as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one flow control member includes a port and an auxiliary port, said auxiliary port being normally located in register with a closed portion of the bottom of said container.
 7. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, a rotatable spreading member mounted adjacent the lower portion of said container and at least one outlet in said container through which material can reach said spreading member, two flow control members positioned adjacent said outlet, said flow control Members each being provided with a port, said flow control members being connected to an adjusting mechanism having a single control element for actuating said flow control members whereby both of said flow control members move in response to a movement of said control element and, when said control element is moved, one flow control member is displaced through a greater distance than the other control member, said control members being movable by said adjusting mechanism to place said outlet and said ports in more or less register, the port of one flow control member being shaped to taper in width.
 8. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in the bottom of said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two movable flow control members with port means positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, an adjusting mechanism connected to said flow control members for moving same to place said outlet and said port means in more or less register, said adjusting mechanism having a single control element for actuating said flow control members wherein in response to a movement of said control element, said flow control members being displaceable so that one flow control member is displaced through a greater distance than the other one, said control members being connected to said adjusting mechanism with rod assembly means, said adjusting mechanism including a substantially vertical pivotal shaft and a setting arm means being secured to said shaft, said rod assembly means including separate rods each connecting a flow control member to said setting arm means, said shaft being turnably journaled in supporting brackets secured to said implement, said control element being connected to the upper end of said shaft and being movable relative to a reference member having a scale with an adjustably mounted stop, said flow control members being of angular configuration and the inner ends of said flow control members being located in a groove formed between the bottom of said container and a flange of a supporting ring, said ring being fixed to the bottom of the container.
 9. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, a rotatable spreading member mounted adjacent the lower portion of said container and at least one outlet in said container through which material can reach said spreading member, two flow control members having port means positioned adjacent said outlet, said flow control members being movable relative to said outlet to close same to a desired extent and an adjusting mechanism operatively connected to said flow control members, said port means being located above a frustoconical portion of said spreading member, said spreading member being rotatable about a substantially vertical axis, said frustoconical portion adjoining a substantially planar plate-shaped portion of said spreading member that extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said spreading member, said planar portion being generally rectangular and provided with spreading blades that extend towards its four corners, the outermost ends of said spreading blades passing through lines that extend radially from the axis of rotation of said spreading member and the inner ends of said blades being located forwardly of said outermost ends relative to the direction of rotation of said spreading member.
 10. A spreading implement comprising a frame and a container supported on said frame, an outlet in said container and a spreading member rotatably mounted adjacent said outlet for distributing material received from said container through said outlet, two movable flow control members having port means being positioned between said outlet and said spreading member, an adjusting mechanism connected to said flow control members for moving same to place said outlet and said port means in more or lEss register, said adjusting mechanism having a control element for actuating said flow control members whereby said flow control members move in response to a movement of said control element and whereby one flow control member is displaced through a greater distance than the other, said spreading member being mounted on a substantially rotatable vertical shaft which extends upwardly through the bottom of said container, a cap on said shaft within said container, the bottom of said container having an upwardly extending rim extending around said shaft, said rim underlying the lower portion of said cap. 